Ash tray and cigarette extinguisher



N. c. AMEN ASH TRAY AND CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHER.

Jul 9, 1940.

Original Filed Sept. 7, 1937.

Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE Application September 7, 1937, Serial No. 162,604

Renewed February "I, 1940 2 Claims.

My invention relates to an ash tray and cigarette extinguisher of the particular type disclosed in my co-pending application for United States Letters Patent filed May 26, 1937, Serial 6 Number 144,852, and the principal objects of my invention are to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the ash tray and cigarette extinguisher disclosed in my aforesaid patent application, and to provide a combined ash tray and cigarette extinguisher that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and which, when properly finished, presents a neat and pleasing appearance.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a cigarette stub-receiving member formedin two parts, said member being disposed transversely in the upper portions of a receptacle that functions as an ash tray, and said parts being provided with means for swinging the same apart in order to permit the discharge of cigarette stubs after the same have been extinguished, and urther, to provide improved means, preferably clips, that are removably positioned on the edge of the ash tray for receiving and holding partially smoked cigarettes.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig 1 is a top plan view of an ash .tray and cigarette extinguisher constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail elevation of a portion of the side wall of the receptacle and showing the end of the two-part cigarette stub-receiving member and the operating handles thereof.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the cigarette-receiving clips that are detachably positioned on the rim of the ash tray or receptacle.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of the cigarette-receiving clip.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, l0 designates a receptacle which may be formed of metal, glass or the like, and of any desired size and shape.

Formed integral with and projecting outwardly from the upper edge of the side wall of this receptacle is a horizontally disposed flange l I, portions of which at diametrically opposite points are removed or cut away to form openings I2.

Immediately below each opening I2, the wall of the receptacle is cut away in substantially semicircular shape, as designated by l3, Fig. 3.

The cigarette extinguishing member is composed of two practically identical parts I4, each of which is substantially semi-circular in cross section, and arranged with their fiat faces in contact with each other thereby forming a substantially cylindrical member that is disposed diametrically in the upper portion of the receptacle l0.

Projecting from the ends of the parts l4 adjacent the tops thereof are trunnions l5 that extend through the openings l2, and these trunnions rest on the curved edges of the cut away portions l3 in the side wall of the receptacle.

In order to prevent relative longitudinal movement between the parts M of the cigarette extinguisher, notches l6 are formed in the under sides of the trunnions and said notches receive the curved upper edges of the wall of the receptacle immediately below the notches or openings l3. (See Figs. 3 and 4.)

At one end of the cigarette extinguishing member just described, the trunnions l5 are extended upwardly and outwardly away from each other, and said portions are formed into loops l1 that are adapted to be engaged between the thumb and finger when the parts M of the extinguisher. are swung apart to permit the discharge of extinguished cigarette stubs.

Formed in the inner portions of the members It and extending downwardly from the tops thereof are vertically disposed notches I8 that are semi-circular in horizontal section and thus the members forming each pair of notches constitute an aperture or recess that tapers gradually toward its lower end and which recess is adapted to receive the lighted end of a cigarette.

Leading from the lower ends of the notches l8 downwardly through the inner portions of the members It are short notches I9, each semi-circular in horizontal section, thus providing small circular apertures that permit the ashes of cigarettes placed in the openings formed by the notches l8 to drop freely into the bottom of the receptacle I.

An annular inwardly projecting shoulder 20 is formed between the upper end of the opening formed by the notches l9 and the lower end of the opening or recess formed by the notches l8, and this shoulder is designed to be engaged by 55 the paper or wrapping of the cigarette immediately adjacent "the burning or ash portion thereof.

Removably positioned on the flange II are clips for the reception of partially smoked cigarettes, each clip being formed in a single piece, preferably formed from sheet metal (see Fig. 5). Each clip comprises a short channel-shaped upper member 2| of such size as to receive a standard sized cigarette, and secured to the inner end of this member 2| is one end of a plate 22 that occupies a lengthwise position immediately beneath the member 2|.

At the outer end of the clip, underlying member 22 is bent downwardly and thence inwardly to form a narrow plate 23 that occupies a position immediately below and spaced apart from the plate 22.

When the clip is applied to the flange II, the latter occupies a position between the plates 22 and 28 and due to the resilience of the metal of which the clip is formed, the same will retain its position on the flange until suflicient force is applied to the clip to pull the same outwardly away from the flange.

A standard size cigarette fits snugly within the channel-shaped portion 2| of the clip and is firmly held thereby, with the ash end positioned above the receptacle, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. By constructing the channel-portion 2| of th clip so that it will receive and firmly hold a cigarette, the latter is prevented from dropping onto the table or surface outside the receptacle 7 in the event that the lighted end of the cigarette burns up to the clip.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a channel-shaped member 24 that is rigidly secured to the top of flange N for supporting partially smoked cigarettes.

To extinguish a burning cigarette, it is only necessary to move the stub into a vertical position and drop the same into one of the pockets formed by the notches l8 and when this is done, the body of the stub immediately above the burning end will rest on the annular shoulder 20 and any free ashes will drop through the opening formed by the notches l9.

With the cigarette so positioned, the fire in the burning end will be quickly smothered, and to discharge the stub into the receptacle ill, the upper ends of the arms or handlw are engaged and moved toward each other, thereby rocking the members ll on their trunnions so as to swing the lower portions of said members apart and thus permit the stub to drop into the receptacle.

During this rocking movement of the parts It,

the notched portions ll of the trunnions I! ride on the upper edges of the wall of the receptacle immediately below the notches or cut away portions l3, and the engagement of the notches IS with the wall of the receptacle eflectually prevents relative longitudinal 'movement between members I. As the upper ends of the arms or fingers I! are released, the members it will automatically return to their normal positions by gravity. 1

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a combined ash tray and cigarette extinguisher that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very efiective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved ash tray and cigarette extinguisher may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A combined ash receiver and cigarette extinguisher comprising a receptacle having an upstanding wall, a flange projecting outwardly from the upper edge of said wall, said flange being cut away at diametrically opposite points to form openings, the upper portion of the wall of the receptacle below the diametrically opposite openings being cut away to form substantially semicircular notches, a member extending diametrically across the upper portion of said receptacle between said notches and the cut away portions of said flange, said member being divided lengthwise to form two practically identical parts, trunnions projecting outwardly from the upper portions of said parts at the ends thereof, the under sides of which trunnions are notched for engagement with the edges of the-notches in the upper portion of the wall of the receptacle between the openings in the flanges thereof, handles project? tinguisher as set forth in claim 1, with an annular shoulder formed in the lower portion of each of said cigarette stub receiving openings and the openings above said shoulders gradually increasing in diameter toward their upper ends.

NICHOLAS C. AMEN. 

